


Outsiders

by Whedonista93



Series: Outsiders [1]
Category: Black Panther (2018), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV), Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Buffy is Steve's Mom, Crossover, F/M, Faith is Bucky's mom, Gen, Immortality, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2020-02-16 00:26:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18680368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whedonista93/pseuds/Whedonista93
Summary: When Buffy and Faith wake up, they're a century in the past, in a world with no vampires.





	Outsiders

**2005:**

Dawn’s eyes are screwed shut, an unreadable expression on her face. “You can’t stop this one.”

Faith shrugs. “Sure we can. That’s our thing. Hot chicks with super powers. Stopping the end of the world one Apocalypse at a time.”

“We always figure something out, Dawnie,” Buffy agrees.

Giles shakes his head. “I fear Dawn may be right. Even with as many Slayers as there are now, we simply don’t have the numbers to combat someone successfully opening all the Hellmouths at once.”

Buffy shrugs. “So we go down fighting.”

Faith whistles. “Damn, B. I thought you were supposed to be the optimistic one.”

Dawn huffs out a frustrated breath. “I didn’t say it couldn’t be stopped. I said  _ you _ can’t stop it.”

Buffy’s tone takes on a hint of worry. “Dawnie, what are you talking about?”

“You can’t stop it, but I can.”

“Dawn,” Giles steps forward, “we agreed that would be a last resort.”

Dawn meets his eyes steadily. “Do you see another option?”

“What the hell are you guys talking about?” Buffy demands, barely containing the urge to stomp her foot.

Dawn turns to her. “I’ve been experimenting with what I can do as the Key.”

“Dawn, that’s dangerous!” Willow shoots up from her seat.

Dawn rolls her eyes. “Hasn’t hurt me yet, and helps us now.”

“Helps us how?”

“Just let me worry about that.”

***

“Dawnie!” Buffy feels like she’s literally fraying at the edges as the battle rages on around her. Across the Hellmouth, she can see Faith blurring around the edges. And on the balcony above them, Dawn is glowing green. “Dawnie, whatever you’re doing, stop!”

Dawn shakes her head with a sad smile. “This isn’t like last time. It isn’t about Summers blood. This time it’s about universes. That’s my schtick. I love you.”

“Daw-”

*****

“B. Wake up. B. Buffy!”

Buffy shoots uprights. “Faith.”

Faith drops from her crouch to sit next to Buffy. “Thank God. For a second there I thought I was gonna have to face wherever we landed alone.”

Buffy rubs at the knot rapidly forming on the back of her head. “And where did we land?” 

Faith gestures to the water in front of them. “I  _ think _ we’re still in Cleveland. I’m more concerned with  _ when _ we landed.”

“Well, this beach was full of ubervamps when Dawnie… damn it,  _ Dawn _ . Wait… when?”

Faith jerks her head back toward the road behind them.

Buffy turns slightly. “ _ Oookay _ , super old cars and horse drawn carriages. What the hell?”

“Yo, my man!” Faith calls out to a man walking by with a cane and… is that a top hat? “What’s the date?”

The man’s eyes widen at the sight of them. “I beg your pardon?”

“The  _ date _ ,” Faith repeats.

“It is the fourth of March,” he stammers.

“What year?”

“1905. Are you unwell?”

“1905?!” Buffy screeches at the same time as Faith’s vehement, “Fuck!”

The man beats a hasty retreat.

Faith cackles. “Think the leather threw him off. We’re gonna need some new duds before we get arrested.”

**1906:**

“I can’t believe it took us a year to get to London,” Faith groans.

Buffy grumpily kicks a rock toward the mansion that housed the Watcher’s Council in their world. “And the Watcher’s Council isn’t even here.”

“I don’t think they exist in this world, B. I mean… it’s been a year and not a single vamp attack.”

“So Dawnie didn’t just move us backward. She moved us... sideways?”

Faith shrugs. “She did say something about alternate universes. If we ever get back home I’m gonna kill her.”

“You’ll have to get in line.”

Faith tugs on the bodice of her dress. “I will never stop missing tee shirts.”

“Same. So... back to the good ol’ U S of A?”

Faith shrugs. “What’s the rush?”

**1916:**

“I love New York,” Faith spins in a circle down a Central Park path. “Why did we never live in New York in our world?”

Buffy shrugs. “No Hellmouth?”

“Bad real estate point. Why’d we use that as criteria again?”

“Monsters.”

“Another bad point.”

“Fair.”

A low voice cheerily interrupts their conversation. “What are two fine young lassies like yourselves doin’ alone on such a fine day?”

“Talking about monsters,” Buffy answers without looking up.

“B, pull your nose out of the book and check the hottie,” Faith chastises under her breath, low enough that only Buffy will hear.

Buffy looks up.  _ Hello yummy goodness _ .

The man - tall, broad-shouldered, blue-eyed, Riley-type good looks - laughs. “Not a turn of phrase I’m familiar with, but it sounds complimentary enough.”

Buffy looks at Faith. “Did I say that out loud?”

“Yup,” Faith winks.

Buffy blushes. “Whoops.”

“You never have managed to master keeping your foot out of your mouth,” Faith smirks and glances at him, “can’t blame you though. That accent is killer. Irish?”

The man is watching them in amusement. He nods at Faith’s question. “Aye.”

Buffy shakes off the embarrassment. “Sorry, us with the rudeness.”

The man shrugs easily and offers a hand. “Joseph Rogers.”

Buffy takes the calloused hand he offers. “Sarah Summers. This is Faith.”

“That a bit of London I hear in your voice there?”

Buffy grimaces at Faith. “Can you imagine the fit Giles and Spike would have if they could hear us now?”

Faith winces. “We gotta stow this shit.”

Buffy turns back to Joseph. “Yeah, we’ve been living in London the last 10 years. Decided it was time to come home, but so far we’ve only made it as far as New York.”

“Where’s home then?” He asks.

“California, originally. Ohio after that.”

“A couple of travellers you are, then. Really so set on getting out of New York?”

Buffy shrugs. “We were actually just talking about maybe staying.”

“Thought you were talkin’ about monsters.”

Buffy laughs and waves vaguely. “Before that.”

“Allow a simple soldier to show you some of the finer points of his city?” Joseph offers his arms, looking a bit like an awkward chicken with a boyishly hopeful look.

Buffy and Faith exchange a look, shrug, laugh, and Buffy loops her arm through Joseph’s.

Joseph beams. “You ladies always so trusting?”

Faith scoffs. “Hardly. We’re just not helpless.”

“We can take care of ourselves,” Buffy agrees.

“Glad of it, then. Have ya been to Coney Island yet?”

Buffy shakes her head. “We literally just got off the boat from London this morning.”

“You’re in for a treat, then,” Joseph grins down at her.

“You kids have fun. I’m gonna explore.”

Buffy looks at her sharply. She knows that tone.

Faith smiles back at her, a silent promise. “Catch you around, B.”

Buffy watches her leave then heaves a sigh.

“You alright, lass?”

Buffy musters a smile and nods. “Yeah. I’m good. She’ll show back up eventually.”

***

Buffy can’t help a soft smile at the sight of New York from the top of the Coney Island ferris wheel.

Joseph can’t help the soft smile down at the top of her head as she snuggles closer under his arm. “Sarah?”

“Hm?” She acknowledges without taking her eyes off the skyline.

“Will you marry me?”

She jerks back and looks up at him then, green eyes impossibly wide. “What?”

“I mean it. I… I know it’s only been two months, but I could ship out at any time. And I’m man enough to admit I know me own heart. I love ya, lass.”

Her eyes go soft. “Your accent gets thicker when you’re emotional.”

He barks out a laugh. “Yeah, s’pose it does. So…”

“Yeah,” she nods and smiles, teary eyed, “yes, absolutely yes!”

He whoops and kisses her soundly. She hardly even notices the sparkling sapphire ring he manages to slip over her finger.

She laughs when is sparkles in the light. “I didn’t need a ring, Joe.”

He shrugs and blushes. “Are ya kiddn’ lass? Ye think I’m willin’ to let ye prance about as ya do an’ let other men think you’re fair game? I’m just sorry it ain’t bigger.”

She shakes her head and takes his face between her hands, kisses him softly. “It’s perfect.”

***

He’s never asked about the weak story she gives him about her past.

He doesn’t ask about her scars.

And for that, she loves him just a little more than she already does.

**1917:**

The way she kisses and clings to him on the docks the day he ships out is very likely considered scandalous public behavior, but ask her if she cares.

**1918:**

“Coming!” Buffy calls to the knock on the door.

Later, she’ll think it’s a sad testament to her life so far that manages to stay upright at the sight of the soldiers at her door.

“Mrs. Rogers?”

She manages a jerky nod.

They hand her a set of dog tags, a letter, and a folded up flag. They offer quiet and tired, but sincere condolences before moving down the hall and knocking on another apartment door down the hall.

Buffy manages to close the door before she slides down the wall to the floor and sobs, flag clutched to her swelling abdomen.

***   

“Why isn’t he crying?” Buffy demands frantically. “Aren’t babies supposed to cry?”

“Your first?” The nurse asks sympathetically.

Buffy stares at her wild-eyed and barely manages a nod.

“He’s a little early, honey. We’ve gotta check him out, but he’s breathing. Want me to go find his daddy for you?”

Buffy blinks back tears and clutches at the dog tags around her neck.

The nurse’s eyes soften. “Oh, I’m sorry, honey. I didn’t mean… I’m sorry.”

Buffy shakes her head. “You couldn’t have known.”

The nurse squeezes her hand gently. “Too many young widows in this war… how you doin’ on your own, honey? There’s programs to try and help.”

Buffy shakes her head okay. “We’ll be fine.”

Finally, a cry pierces the air and the doctor lays the baby on Buffy’s chest. “A boy.”

Buffy lets her tears fall as she clutches the tiny bundle close.

“Got a name for him, honey?” The nurse asks.

_ “What do you think about kids?” Joe asks without pausing in whatever he’s sketching across her back. _

_ She hums noncommittally. “Never really thought about them to be honest. I mean, I half raised my sister, but that’s kind of different… do you want kids?” _

_ He mercifully ignores the absent-minded comment about her sister. “Wouldn’t mind one or two.” _

_ She can hear the hope he’s trying to conceal in his voice and rolls her head toward him with a smile. “So let’s have one.” _

_ He freezes. “Really?” _

_ She shrugs. “Yeah. Really.” _

_ He swoops in to kiss her and doesn’t come up until they both need air. He rolls to his back and pulls her on top of him. “What would ye name a wee lass?” _

_ “Willow Dawn,” Buffy answers without hesitation. _

_ “Pretty.” _

_ “What about a boy?” _

_ His shoulders shift in a miniscule shrug beneath her. “I’ve always wanted ta name a son after me granda’.” _

“Steven Grant. His name is Steven Grant Rogers.”

**1925:**

“Mama, I made a new friend,” Steve calls excitedly as he clomps into the apartment.

Buffy turns to him with a smile that’s immediately replaced with a raised eyebrow. “And got a new black eye.”

Steve blushes and shuffles his feet. “They were pickin’ on Dora an’ when I told ‘em to stop they tried to take my lunch money.”

Buffy glances at the boy hovering behind Steve. “And how’d your new friend get a busted lip?”

Steve blushes.

“He’s got a mean right hook for a little guy,” the kid tells her with a smirk.

Buffy barely conceals her grin.

“I didn’t know he was tryin’ to help me!” Steve tries to defend himself.

Buffy ruffles his hair. “Go get a cold washcloth for that eye and get one for your friends lip.”

“Yes, ma’am.” 

Buffy eyes the dark haired boy still in front of her. “What’s your name, kid?”

“James Buchanan Barnes,” the kid puffs his chest up with all the pride a kid can muster. “But mama and… well, everyone calls me Bucky. Mama says she started it, though.”

Buffy smiles. “Well, what do you say we get you cleaned up and then Stevie and I will walk you home? We’ll stop for some ice cream on the way.”

Bucky nods enthusiastically and twenty minutes later, both boys are standing sheepishly behind her skirts, happily licking at their ice cream cones as Buffy knocks on Bucky’s door. A dark haired, dark eyed little girl answers and looks up at Buffy curiously until Bucky bustles around her. “Becca! You ain’t supposed to answer the door! Where’s ma?”

“I’m right here, and your brother is right, Becs. You’re too little to answer the d- B?”

Buffy tears her eyes from the kids and locks eyes with Bucky’s mother. “Faith?!” Buffy doesn’t even think through the action before she’s punching her fellow Slayer in the face. “Nine years! You just fucking vanished!” Steve’s gasp behind her clears her head slightly. She spins on  her son. “Yes, that’s a bad word, and if I  _ ever _ hear you using it, I will wash your mouth out with a year’s worth of soap. Do you understand me?”

Faith spits a mouthful of blood. “Same goes for you, Bucky.”

Both boys nod vigorously.

“Why don’t you and your friend go play so the grown ups can talk, buddy?” Faith suggests.

Buffy follows Faith into the kitchen without a word.

“You still hit like a girl,” Faith tells her, swishing a mouthful of water before pouring two cups of coffee. “Still take more sugar and milk than actual coffee?” She fixes the coffee and sets it in front of Buffy without waiting for an answer.

Buffy takes a sip and tries to reign her temper before meeting Faith’s eyes. “Why? I mean, I expected a few months,  _ maybe _ even a couple years, but nine years with  _ nothing _ , Faith?”

Faith shrugs. “It was just gonna be a few months, but then I got knocked up… and this isn’t our world, B. So I married the guy. Don’t get me wrong, I’m pretty sure I would have eventually anyway, but…”

Buffy nods. “I know. But you could’ve let me know. Somehow. It’s a big city, but…”

“I could’ve found you. I’m sorry.”

Buffy feigns shock. “Is that a genuine apology?”

Faith throws a dish towel at her. “Yeah, only one you’re gonna get, so savor it.”

Buffy smirks.

“The kid… the guy from the park?”

Buffy nods, hand going to the dog tags around her neck without conscious thought.

Faith notices. “Oh, B…”

Buffy shakes her head. “It’s fine. It was a long time ago. Before Stevie was even born.”

Faith smiles sadly. “You guys didn’t get long.”

“No, but what we did get was good. And I got Stevie. And you! You have Bucky! Nice nickname, by the wa-”

“Don’t even go there,” Faith warns.

Buffy winks. “And... Becca?”

Faith nods. “Rebecca. And Kendra. And,” she lays a hand on her stomach, “whoever this turns out to be.”

Buffy blinks, then doubles over laughing.

Faith buries her head in her arms on the table. “Yeah, yeah, yak it up.”

“Sorry, sorry,” Buffy tries to regain her composure, “but resident Slayer badass Faith Lehane all settled down with  _ four _ kids?”

Faith sits back up. “Trust me, I know, but…”

Buffy calms and her face softens. “But it’s kinda great.”

Faith nods. “Yeah, it is.”

“Your husband?”

“Works down at the docks. Should be home pretty soon. Wanna stay for supper?”

“Are you cooking?” Buffy asks in mock horror.

“Queen Slayer is on a roll tonight. Keep ‘em coming.”

Buffy grins. “We’d love to stay. What can I do to help?”

Faith silently hands over a cutting board and a mound of vegetables before moving over to the stove.

“So why  _ did _ you settle?” Buffy asks curiously.

Faith shrugs. “Do you… do you remember what Robin used to tell me all the time? About letting people surprise me?”

Buffy nods.

“John did.”

“Honey, I’m  _ hooome _ ,” a masculine voice accompanies the gentle slam of the front door.

“Kitchen,” Faith calls back over the sound of little feet scrambling.

A tall, dark-haired, blue-eyed man fills the doorway less than a minute later, Becca and a curly-headed toddler perched on his hips. “Hello, gorgeous,” he greets Faith with a gentle smile.

Faith grins up at him, turning her face up expectantly for a kiss. Buffy’s heart clenches a bit, even as she fights another fit of giggles over the absurdity of the whole situation.

“Who’s our guest?” He asks when steps back.

“John, Sarah. Sarah, John.”

John turns a speculative eye on her. “Actually Sarah or Buffy Sarah?”

Buffy starts in surprise.

“He knows the truth,” Faith says.

Buffy gapes at her back. “Like, the  _ truth _ ?”

Faith nods.

Buffy turns her incredulous glare on John. “And you didn’t have her committed?”

John shrugs. “She made a convincing argument.”

“You’re telling me about that sometime.”

John nods good naturedly as he sets the girls down and shoos them off to play. “So Faith finally tracked you down?”

Buffy scoffs. “As if. Your boy pulled mine out of a bit of a scrape.”

“I was wondering about the busted lip,” Faith says wryly.

Buffy shrugs. “Stevie’s got a heart of gold, but…”

“B?” Faith finally turns from the stove to look at Buffy.

“He was born early,” Buffy manages. “He’s got weak lungs, heart problems, poor eyesight, color-blindness, hearing problems… the kid’s a mess but he doesn’t let it stop him from anything. I still don’t know how someone that strong came from me.”

“You’re kidding, right?” Faith asks incredulously. “You are the strongest person I know, B. It’s no wonder your kid inherited your hero complex.”

**1934:**

Faith clutches Buffy’s arm tightly enough to break a normal person’s bones as John’s casket is lowered into the ground. Buffy remains silent and lets Faith cling to her, knowing from experience that there are no words that actually help.

***

The girls are in bed and Steve and Bucky are probably at Coney Island when Faith and Buffy finally let themselves wind down and drop into a heap on Faith’s ancient couch.

“This sucks,” Faith groans.

Buffy just nods in response and they let the silence reign.

Some time later, Faith speaks up. “B?”

“Hm?”

“How long have we been here?”

Buffy does the math, already having an idea where this is going. “Almost 30 years.”

“Found a gray hair or a stray wrinkle yet?”

Buffy shakes her head.

“Me either. I’ve been dying my roots gray and adding wrinkles with makeup for years. We’re in our 50’s, Buff.”

Buffy nods. “But we’re still in our 20’s.”

“Yeah.”

“So… what? Fake our own deaths?”

“Can you think of something better?”

“Not really. I hate the idea of leaving Steve alone.”

“He’ll have Bucky.”

Buffy smiles. “Yeah. He’ll have Bucky. What about your girls, though?”

Faith shrugs. “I can keep up the dye and makeup schtick for a few more years. At least until Bec is old enough to take care of Kendra and Angela.”

“That’s a lot of pressure on a kid…”

Faith huffs a laugh. “I’ve got more money squirrelled away than I ever let them know. They’ll be okay. I’ll have a car crash here in a few years or something… what about you?”

“TB.”

Faith quirks an eyebrow.

Buffy shrugs. “It’s common enough these days. I’ll send a letter from the hospital with the diagnosis, make sure Stevie finds it. With all his lung problems it’s believable enough mine might be weak too…”

“Our lives are so fucked up.”   
  


**1936:**

“Where are you gonna go?” Faith asks.

Buffy shrugs. “Not far. I hear there’s a war brewing. Been a while since I got in a good fight.”

Faith laughs. “Give me a couple more years and I’ll join you.”

**1937:**

_ B- _

_ Buck got drafted. Moving up my timetable. _

_ -F _

**1938:**

“Dr. Erksine?”

The scientist turns toward the voice and finds a pretty blonde matching his pace. “I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure, Miss…”

“Summers,” the blonde smiles, “but you can call me Anne.”

“Anne, then,” he smiles. “Can I help you?”

“Actually, I think I can help you. I hear you’re having trouble with that fancy serum of yours.”

***

Faith nudges Buffy’s shoulder. “You alright, B?”

Buffy nods without tearing her gaze from their little television screen. “He looks so much like Joe…”

Faith smiles. “How long do you give it before he gets tired of being the dancing monkey?”

Buffy scoffs. “How long do you give it before Bucky gets in trouble he can’t get out of?”

**1943:**

“Where the fuck did that plane go down?”

Peggy spins, wide-eyed and genuinely caught off guard by the petite brunette storming into the command center. “I beg your pardon?”

“The plane that Steve Rogers crashed. Where did it go down?”

“Miss, you must be confused, I don’t…” Peggy trails off when the woman just blinks at her. Something about her is familiar, though Peggy can’t put her finger on what. “We don’t know.”

“Well you damn well better start looking,” the woman growls. “Where’s Sargent Barnes’ body?”

“It wasn’t recovered,” Peggy is still in too much of a state of bewilderment to filter her answers.

“Well then you better start looking for him too.”

“Who the hell are you?” Howard demands.

“It’s important to me and someone I love to be sure those boys are dead before we start mourning them. I’m Faith.”

 

_ Buffy is staring, wide-eyed and unblinking, at the report in front of her. “Straight into the ice… how the… why did he… I don’t understand. Parents aren’t supposed to outlive their kids.” _

_ “Pretty sure we were in danger of that anyway,” Faith angrily swipes away the tears threatening to fall and shrugs weakly, “because apparently our damn hero schtick is genetic, and our boys are a  _ little  _ codependent.” _

_ Buffy laughs. “Well, they sure as hell didn’t get  _ that _ from us.” _

_ “You’re going, then?” _

_ Buffy shrugs. “I can’t… I can’t let myself hope. And I can’t see his face everywhere I look.” _

_ “Where are you gonna go?” _

_ Buffy glances at the map they keep on the wall and shrugs. “No idea. Somewhere new.” _

_ Faith gets up and pulls a dart from the board on the wall. _

_ “Really?” Buffy quirks an eyebrow. _

_ “Got a better idea?” _

_ Buffy shrugs and stands to take the dart. She squeezes her eyes shut and Faith spins her in a few circles for good measure. Buffy throws the dart and opens her eyes. “Africa it is, then.” She steps closer and squints. “Where the hell is Wakanda?” _

**1944:**

Buffy wanders the plains of Wakanda aimlessly for about a week without seeing a soul before she runs into a literal invisible wall. She pushes against it, testing, and yanks her hand back with a curse when it burns. She idly strokes the pendant at her wrist.

_ “What is it?” Buffy peers at the pendant Dawn just tied around her wrist with a thin leather strap -  _ _ a silver disk, about the size of a quarter, with an emerald about half the size inset. _

_ Dawn bites her lip and tucks her hair behind her ear. “It’s for when there’s a barrier you can’t cross.” _

_ Buffy raises an eyebrow. _

_ Dawn rolls her eyes. “Okay, so, you know I’ve been experimenting with the whole Key thing - save the lecture - this is part of that. It can’t do much, but it can distort- okay, actually simple version. Focus hard on it and you can phase through things. The strap is enchanted. It won’t come off unless you take it off.” _

Buffy takes a deep breath, focuses on the pendant, and pushes against the barrier once again. This time, she stumbles right through. She rights herself and starts toward what looks like a village, then backtracks toward a treeline -  that barrier didn’t exactly invite visitors, after all. For the next week she spends her days spying - marveling at technology that doesn’t exist anywhere she’s ever seen and definitely shouldn’t exist this early in any timeline - and her nights finding secluded spots to camp. After a week, she gets paranoid and hoofs it toward the mountains. She’s stripped down to her underwear, laying back with her feet in a river and clothes air drying nearby when a shadow falls over her. She opens her eyes to find a man as tall and dark as she is short and fair looming over her.

She frowns. “You’re blocking the sun.”

He frowns back. “How did you come here?”

“Oh good, English,” she beams.

He glares.

“Magic,” she answers, jazz hands and all, without moving to get up.

His frown deepens. “You will come with me.”

Buffy shrugs. “Nothing better to do. Can I get dressed first?”

***

A man even taller and darker than the one who found her stares down at her from the throne. “Who are you, colonizer?”

Buffy blinks. 

“How did you cross our borders?”

“I walked,” Buffy deadpans. “Also, it's polite to introduce yourself when you basically kidnap someone.”

The man stares at her long enough that Buffy worries she's committed some cultural faux pas, but then he throws his head back and laughs. “You have much spirit for a little thing. I am M’Baru, chief of the Jabari. And who are you?”

“I'm Buffy, the Slayer.”

“Slayer of what?”

Buffy grins. “Monsters.”

M’Baru laughs again. “And how came you to be in Jabari lands, little monster slayer?”

“I already told you, I walked.”

“Into lands hidden from outsiders?”

Buffy shrugs. “It seemed like a good place to hide from my demons.”

“You are young for demons large enough to drive you to our lands.”

“More than meets the eye,” Buffy mutters.

“Now that, I believe. I am inclined to like you, little one, but there are penalties for trespassing.”

Buffy quirks an eyebrow.

“Imprisonment, execution, that sort of thing.”

Buffy groans. “What's the catch?”

“Catch?”

“Yeah, ya know, loophole. ‘Death by dismemberment, drop you in a deep dark hole,  _ unless _ yadda, yadda, yadda.’”

“Ah. You could not handle it, little one.”

“Try me,” Buffy challenges.

“If a trespasser defeats the tribe chief in ritual combat, they are not only pardoned, they are granted an honorary status among the chief’s family.”

Buffy grins.

**1969:**

“How do these white women keep ending up in my throne room?” M’Bafu growls good-naturedly.

Buffy beams at him. “You didn’t even catch her either. She found me here!”

Faith grins and eyes M’Bafu lasciviously. “Mmm… B, you always end up surrounded by hotties.”

Buffy shrugs. “Eye candy isn’t bad, for sure.”

“You tappin’ that?”

M’Bafu quirks an eyebrow. “I am standing right here.”

Both women ignore him and Buffy scrunches her nose. “Ew. I half raised the kid. He’s named after me for Pete’s sake!”

Faith chuckles. “Speaking of kids…” She rests a hand on her abdomen.

Buffy sits upright. “Did you get married again?”

Faith shakes her head. “Howard’s the father.”

Buffy grimaces.

Faith shrugs. “It was a one time thing. Found out like 3 days after he married Maria.”

“Does he know?”

Faith nods. “He and Maria are going to raise the baby. Maria can’t have children, and I’m doing so much with SHIELD right now…”

Buffy reaches over and squeezes her hand.

Faith takes a shuddery breath. “I’ve never done this alone before, B.”

“Want me to come back with you?”

Faith looks at her sharply.

Buffy shrugs. “I haven’t left Wakanda for more than a month at a time in almost 30 years, Faith. I think I need to get over myself and get involved in the world again.”

“Please remember you said that and not me.”

Buffy punches her in the shoulder.

**1970:**

“Gotta say I was impressed with the whole fake pregnancy thing,” Buffy mutters to Howard as they wait outside the hospital room.

Howard shrugs. “It was… well, I can’t think of a way to say it without sounding like an ass.”

Buffy laughs. “Better for the press, I know.”

“Maria and I have talked about it extensively, and we both want you involved in his life.”

“ _ Me _ ?”

“You and Faith both. Aunts, godmothers, something…”

Buffy rolls her eyes. “If you don’t make Peggy godmother, she will castrate you. And I’ll probably hold you down for her.”

Howard winces and nods. “Right.”

“But,” Buffy continues softly, “we’ll be as involved as you want us to be.”

**1991:**

“B, I swear to God, I  _ know _ how you drive. Now fucking step on it!”

“Alright, alright!”

“That’s more like it!”

Two minutes later, they screech to a halt and both bolt out of the car.

“Howard!” Faith darts to the driver’s side.

“My wife… help my… Faith?” Howard blinks slowly.

“Hey, pal,” Faith grins. “Buffy’s got Maria. It’s okay.”

“Faith, get down!” Buffy calls across the roof.

Faith ducks in time for a bullet to zoom over her head and embed itself in a nearby tree. Buffy is already launching off the top of the car toward their attacker. At the last second she turns and rolls to the side instead of kicking the man in the head.

“What the fuck, B? You had him!”

Buffy shakes her head frantically.

Faith spins toward him, finally getting a good look at his face, and freezes.

Before either woman regains their composure, the man jumps back on his bike, shooting their tires out as he goes.

Faith is wide-eyed when she turns to Buffy. “Was that…”

Buffy pushes to her feet, equally wide-eyed. “I don’t know.”

Faith shakes it off. “Later. I can’t right now… right now we need to make it look like this accident killed them.”

The next morning’s headlines read  _ Starks Killed in Tragic Accident _ .

**2011:**

Buffy’s phone starts ringing incessantly the moment she clears Wakanda’s barrier. She has to wait a solid five minutes before she’s able to check any of the messages, and when she does they’re all from Faith.

She hits the speed dial - it doesn’t even finish ringing once before Faith is yelling at her. “What the hell happened to checking your phone at least once a week?”

“What’s going on?” Buffy demands.

“B… they found Stevie.”

***

Steve comes to awareness slowly. He remembers the train.  _ Bucky _ . His heart clenches. He remembers the plane and cold and now… none of the sounds or smells around him are familiar. He opens his eyes slowly.

Bright green eyes stare back at him.

Steve blinks and scoffs out a weak laugh. “So I’m dead, then?”

Buffy laughs brightly. “I’m flattered that your idea of heaven includes your mother, but no. You’re alive. Welcome to the twenty-first century.”

**2012:**

Steve sneers. “Big man in a suit of armor. Take that off, what are you?”

“Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist,” Tony answers without missing a beat.

“I know guys with none of that who ar-”

“Steven Grant, Anthony Edward, play nice,” a petite blonde chides from the door.

“Ma?” Steve blanches at the same moment Tony exclaims, “Aunt B?!”

The men whirl on each other.

“Summers, what the fuck are you doing on my ship?” Fury demands, ignoring the drama unfolding in the middle of the room.

“Whatever the fuck I want, Nicky,” she beams at him, unphased.

“Just tell me your goddamn partner isn’t here,” Fury all but begs.

“ _ Awww _ , Nicky boy,” a brunette leans in the doorway, “it almost sounds like you’re not happy to see me.”

“Mom?!” Tony gapes as Steve bursts out, “Aunt Faith?!”

Their gazes are less hostile and more incredulous when they turn back to each other.

Fury buries his face in his hands. “You two,” he looks up at the women and waves his hand between them, “have a way of fucking my shit up.”

“Kid,” the brunette says. warning clear in her tone.

Fury, amazingly enough, hold his hand up in surrender.

Bruce raises his hand. “Am I the only one wondering what the hell is going on?”

“No,” Natasha answers calmly.

“Buffy Summers and Faith Lehane,” Nick gestures to the blonde then the brunette respectively, “are independent contractors who keep showing up like a bad damn penny. Their methods are unorthodox, but effective.”

“Yeah, but, uh… Steve and Tony called the mom and aunt…” Bruce shrugs sheepishly. “And they’re…  _ maybe _ 25.”

Buffy laughs. “You really think the serum worked on Stevie because, what, he has a solid set of morals?”

“You’ve got a pretty solid moral compass, doc,” Faith winks at Bruce. “How’d it work out for you?”

“The serum worked on Steve,” Buffy continues, “because he’s got Summers blood.”

“You know, you never have explained what the hell that means,” Steve mutters.

“I think studly has it figured out,” Faith nods to Thor.

Thor shakes his head. “Your kind do not exist here.”

Buffy grins and spreads her arms. “But here we be.”

Shockingly enough, it’s Faith the drops the cryptic first. “We’re hot chicks with superpowers.”

Buffy laughs. “That’s the very short version. Slightly longer version is that we’re from an alternate universe, we’re super strong, and we’re pretty sure we’re immortal.”


End file.
